John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will continue to scrutinise the following EU proposals on a corporate tax reform package, including the common consolidated corporate tax base: COM (2016) 683; COM (2016) 685; COM (2016) 686; and COM (2016) 687. I welcome our witnesses Ms Cora O'Brien and Mr. Aidan Lucey. We are dealing with the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base, CCCTB. We are delighted that Ms O'Brien and Mr. Lucey could join us today.

I wish to advise the witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite Ms O'Brien to make her opening statement.